The fact that women often turn to the sex trade in times of economic difficulty is not new, but the fact that it has been going on for centuries doesn't make it any less tragic to hear about. The Salon has a piece today about the increasing numbers of educated and qualified women who have lost their jobs and are now turning to selling sexual favors.The article opens with the story of a woman who has lost her $45,000 a year job and, after applying to jobs she was over-qualified for, has gone to posting sexual favors on Craigslist.
The stories of these women are sad and speak to the options available to women. It also speaks to the important place sex has in our society. People may stop buying expensive foods and cars, but they will still pay for sex.
What I thought was especially sad was the fact that these women, after having to engage in degrading or uncomfortable behavior to make money to survive, often have to hide the entire thing from their families because of the stigma. So, they are struggling to negotiate between their comfort and morals and the necessity of making money, and they do not have a group of people that they can talk about it with.
Photo courtesy of www.flickr/nyki_m
3 comments:
Your blog continues to show how much economic pressure can force a woman into a profession that she would not otherwise choose. The general acceptance of this unfair and negatively influenced choice makes me sad. We should be exploring ways to help women in poverty, not judging or ignoring them.
Your blog continues to show how much economic pressure can force a woman into a profession that she would not otherwise choose. The general acceptance of this unfair and negatively influenced choice makes me sad. We should be exploring ways to help women in poverty, not judging or ignoring them.
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